Mom’s better than yours and that crazy TV mom

I foolishly allowed myself to become immersed in the gripping yet tragically dark Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.” Some of you may have heard of it.

The program is based on the 2007 Jay Asher novel of the same name. Its fame is almost legendary in terms of how quickly it became the most watched online streaming television series — ever, I think. Or at least, to date. Either way, I got sucked in faster than you can lose an earring down an open drain.

And while I will refrain from delving into the subject matter in today’s column (stand by for a future pontification in this space), I have to mention one pivotal scene that shook me to my core. It’s probably not the one you’re imagining, “13 Reasons Why” watchers.

I refer to the moments in which 16-year-old Justin is being physically abused by the boyfriend of his mother, who is watching nearby. He looks over at her as he tries to defend himself from being choked, his eyes begging her for help. Suddenly, he simultaneously screams and cries, “Mom!” She turns away from him and shuts her bedroom door, leaving him — and me — alone and distraught.

I was bawling by the end of that scene because turning your back on your children IS NOT WHAT MOMS DO. Period.

Yes, I know this is a fictional program and yes, I know I need to stop replaying the horrendous scene in my mind. #needlesslytorturingmyself

But I should die a thousand times before I’d ever let anyone hurt my son, let alone knowingly, pointedly and willingly cause him pain myself. I am not joking. I’d truly rather meet my maker then to watch my child suffer. It’s one of the many things my Mom taught me. (Pop, too, but again, different day.)

You see, when you have the greatest example on the third rock from the sun of what a mother should be, you are alarmed, shocked and completely outraged when you witness something so polar opposite of that model, even if only on a TV show.

No offense to your moms or anything, but the good Lord must really like me and my siblings a whole lot because He saw to it that we got the best one … well, next to the one He picked for his Son, natch.

Seriously. I’m not trying to be a jerk or anything, but my mom’s better than your mom — who I’m sure is wonderful! It’s just that mine is wonderful-er.

Sure, she did all the typical, standard, run-of-the-mill maternal stuff that mothers always do when rearing their offspring.

She fed and bathed us. She helped us say bedtime prayers before tucking us in at night. She bandaged up scrapes, brought down fevers and chauffeured us to and from every practice, competition, game, dance or appointment.

For those things / events requiring attendance, by the way, she was first in and last out.

But that’s just the tip of the mother lode of awesomeness that is my mom.

This is the woman who put handwritten birthday notes in my lunch bag every year. The lady who served as chaperone at every field trip, took on the task of PTA president, never missed a school play, a speech contest or a welcome greeting at the door at the end of the school day. Ever. Not once.

The selfless person not only drove me back and forth to Youngstown State University for weeks after I broke my collar bone in a car accident, but she also trudged through the snow and cold with me on campus, carrying my books to my classes for me and waiting for them to end. Every day. For the remainder of the quarter. Twenty years later when I debated about going back to YSU for my master’s certificate in professional writing and editing, she was my number one cheerleader.

She held my hand for two straight hours the first day Kyle went to pre-school and picked me up off the ground (where I was curved into the fetal position) the first time I had to put him on the bus.

As you read this, my mom is cutting out the rest of the LIFE inside cover around it because she scrapbooks every single one of my columns. Do you know how many columns I’ve written over the year? I don’t either, but she does, capisce? This is the mom of all moms.

And all I can say is, THANK YOU for being the most incredible role model for us, the best mom and grami we all could ever pray to have. You are truly our blessing and I like you just as much as I love you, Ma. Happy Mother’s Day!

Kimerer is a Tribune Chronicle columnist who love love loves her mother. And her bonus mum, Pat, too — very much. Contact her with kind words about your own mom at www.patriciakimerer.com